2 Brothers Facing Charges In Shooting

Police Say Man Told Them He Fired His Gun Intending To Scare Off A Crowd That Had Gathered During An Altercation With A Teenager

May 13, 2005|By HILDA MUNOZ; Courant Staff Writer

NEW BRITAIN — Two men suspected in the shooting of a teenager following a traffic altercation earlier this week were arraigned in Superior Court Thursday.

Police arrested Henry Gaines, and his brother Christopher Norton, in connection with the Tuesday shooting of Juan Carlos Soto near the corner of Oak and North streets.

Soto, who was shot in the face, remained in critical condition Thursday at New Britain General Hospital, a hospital spokeswoman said.

``I'm happy, I'm very happy they got 'em,'' said a relative of Soto's, who declined to be identified. ``He's not a saint, but he's not someone to fight people.''

A woman who answered the door at Gaines' home declined to comment on the arrests.

Gaines, 25, and Norton, 28, have been charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree assault and conspiracy to commit murder. Norton is also charged with attempted murder, first-degree assault and weapons charges. Superior Court Judge Joan Alexander set his bail at $2 million.

Gaines also has been charged with violation of probation and accessory to commit first-degree assault. His bail was set at $1.5 million.

Their next court date is May 20.

Police said just after 5 p.m. Tuesday, the occupants of two cars became involved in an argument. One of the cars, a silver Pontiac left the scene, but later returned.

Witnesses told police that the man who pulled up in the Pontiac confronted Soto, according to an arrest affidavit. The teenager picked up a metal pipe, smashed it through the rear window and then hit the man with it.

A second man then got out of the car, walked around the back of the car and shot Soto in the face, the affidavit said.

Police believe Gaines was the driver and Norton was the gunman, according to the affidavit.

Gaines told police that he and Norton drove to Oak Street to fight a group in a red car who had cut him off near that corner shortly after 5 p.m. that day, the affidavit says. He said three men had gotten out of the car, and Gaines believed they were going to jump him, the affidavit says.

So he left and returned with Norton.

Norton told police that while Soto swung the pipe at Gaines, he fired his gun intending to scare off a crowd that had gathered. Norton said that he might have shot Soto, according to the affidavit.

Police found Gaines in Hartford Wednesday morning and arrested him on probation violation charges. Once in custody, he was questioned about the shooting, police said. Norton was arrested Thursday morning in New Britain.